Good and evil...

Playlist
King Crimson – USA
Beethoven – Cello Sonatas
Miles Davis – The Best of Seven Steps
Frost – Thru The Eyes of Love
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Best of CBQ 1996-2006
Rush - A Farewell to Kings
King Crimson – DGM Sampler
Impossible Songs – Border Crossing

Relaxed in front of the TV tonight watching the start of the Hearts v AEK Athens game and leafing through the latest edition of Wire magazine...

Then packed up the guitar and stuff and headed into town to the Beanscene for 8:30...

It was noisy tonight, my last of five Fringe gigs for 2006...

Sound checked at 9 and went on at 9:30 with John and Ali from Impossible Songs arriving right on cue, just as I was about to start...

Young chum Kris and his mate Nick also showed up and so I succeeded in playing all five gigs to at least a few people I knew or who’d actually heard my music at some point before...

While I was playing I could feel my mobile vibrating in my pocket as Anne sent me texts to update me on Hearts’ Champions’ League demise...

Probably enjoyed this night the least of the recent shows but if you play in a café I suppose you have to expect people are going to be chatting – but do they need to chat quite as loudly as one American lady and her gay friend – at least they quietened down when their giant plate of nachos arrived....

Other distractions included the very loud smoothie making machine at the bar...

But I shouldn't get hung up on these - I played a good set, an American couple actually appeared to be filming me at one point; a lone young woman sat nursing a coffee and seemed to be listening to every word of my songs, making frequent eye contact; another girl sat in the corner reading her book and tapping her toes; and I knew that John, Ali, Kris and Nick were behind me all the way...



On balance, it was a good gig - and I know I've been spoiled over the last couple of years by the attentiveness of the regular Out of the Bedroom audiences...

So that’s it now till late September...

Then, hopefully my shoulder operation in October and, after that, get down to recording the full band version of "Ersatzreal"...

After a good chat with John and Ali, I headed home. Driving the new car tonight was good – when I’m on my own, I probably have the stereo too loud...

Back home Anne gave me all the sad tales of how the Ref robbed Hearts etc etc but, at the end of the day (footie cliché there), I think Athens would’ve gone through even without an alleged corrupt ref on their side...

John and Ali gave me a copy of their new album, “Border Crossing” and I finished the day listening to it (great stuff) while I finalised my latest spree on e-bay which will see six new CDs popping through the postbox very shortly...

Highlight of the Day : Another fine gig from Mr CBQ...